Since 1994 astronomers from the University of New South Wales have been venturing to Antarctica as part of a project to development an astronomical observatory on the high Antarctic plateau. Here the extremely cold, dry conditions make it the best place on the Earth to view the faint infrared light from the cosmos.

These pages record the daily diaries of the research team as they tackle the many challenges that face them on this endeavour. Every day, for several weeks each austral summer, the astronomers add entries to these illustrated diaries. They contain a unique combination of science, adventure, human drama and humour.

We also do our best to explain the science in understandable terms. Every person involved in writing the Antarctic Diaries is either a UNSW scientist or PhD student. Entries are often written after a sixteen-hour day at the South Pole. Combined with the pressure altitude of over 3000m, and temperatures dipping below -40C, this brings an interesting flavour to the experience.